To Seek and to Save
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Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Zaccheus was a wee little man
Zaccheus was a wee little man
But actually Zacc was a tax collector. A CHIEF tax collector. Not a popular man on twitter. I’m imagining Zacc was used to overcoming challenges, barriers and rejection in life. He rose to the point of a powerful but hated position. But lately he had been rethinking some things. Some said he had developed a conscience. Others said he was the same old tricky fox. But Zaccheus wasn’t taking his cues from public opinion. He was thinking about an audience of one.
Jesus came to town
Jesus came to town
This was an opportunity. For a man who had found himself standing at the top of a mountain that now meant less to him as each day passed, Jesus represented a big opportunity. Jesus was a man with power, but a different kind of power. The crowds were pretty big as usual, so Zacc was looking at the neck hairs of people a head taller than him. Let’s just say they weren’t falling all over themselves to let a chief tax collector go to the front of the line.
Zacc was used to this, so plan B presented itself: a sycamore tree with a short trunk and powerful branches was calling his name. Soon his sandals were scuffing the bark as his hands grabbed for knots, twigs and leaves to pull himself into position. Just in time he saw Jesus approaching. Soon he was so close he could have touched him. Could have if he wasn’t up a tree. Maybe you’re just used to seeing grown men in nice clothes sitting in trees, but it caught Jesus’ eye. He noticed.
Zacc was about to have a celebrity moment. Have you ever had one of those moments? I’ve had a few. In the 80’s I shook hands with the Vice President when he was running for president and he came to my college town. More recently I had a few encounters at Wrigley Field.
Celebrity Moment: Fergie Jenkins, Ernie Banks
Zacc was having a Jesus moment:
When Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, hurry down. Today is my day to be a guest in your home.”
It’s just one of the most beautiful lines in whole world to me. I’m sure it was to Zacc. Today is my day to be a guest in your home. Another way to translate it: Today, it’s necessary for me to abide in your home… I don’t think that was a one time reverse invitation for a wee little man. Zacc is sitting in for all of us. Jesus doesn’t want to be a weekend curiosity for us. He’s not a football game to distract you for a few hours. We can beat ourselves up about yesterday, we can worry about tomorrow or we can be fully present today. Today is all we have. Right now. Today, it’s necessary for me to abide at your home. There’s no renovation project or upgrade that could hope to improve your home than making Jesus welcome there.
When people do crazy stuff on TV the warning will sometimes appear: please, do not try this at home. But for this one: please try this at home...
Zacchaeus scrambled out of the tree, hardly believing his good luck, delighted to take Jesus home with him.
Zacchaeus was a man who recognized an opportunity. Now if Zacc had a smart phone it would have been a great to snap a photo of everyone’s mouths on the floor. Stunned that of all the people Jesus picked, it was this guy. Caring little about public opinion was something Zacc and Jesus had in common.
They immediately lit up Twitter with negative comments about Jesus and this tax collector! Well, no they didn’t but they did murmur. Zacchaeus may have been short but he wasn’t deaf.
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
Boom. There it is. Jesus coming to your house means things are going to change. Zacchaeus is serious and wants to make things right.
Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham.
Here’s that word again: today. A life can literally change in one day! Someone can be headed down one road and suddenly make a big turn in the right direction. Jesus lived his life with his eyes wide open for moments like this. And he’s still doing it today. But he does it through you and me.
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Jesus went down a specific street and looked for the one who needed him most. I’ve heard it said a thousand times: God knows your address and he cares about your needs and wants to turn your life around. Nothing wrong with that message. It’s still true today.
But we can zoom out. We can realize that Jesus still comes to seek and to save the lost. If you’ve been found the story is not over! It’s just. getting. started. At Zacc’s house there was a party to end all party’s I’m quite sure. He knew some people who really needed Jesus. Can you imagine? I can. God can.
Party at Zacc’s house. Party at Bob’s house. Party at your house.
Jesus is the Son of Man. He came to seek and to save the lost. If that’s you, today is your day. If you’ve already had your day, let every day be the day you join Jesus in seeking the lost so they can get found.